


Every Day That Gets To Pass

by atti (attilatehbun)



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: M/M, Non-Linear Narrative, old fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-10
Updated: 2012-05-10
Packaged: 2017-11-05 03:08:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/401794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attilatehbun/pseuds/atti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The larger piece of Billy's home drops down next to him, his weight barely denting the mattress at all.  Teddy reaches over and brushes some hair out of Billy's eyes.  "Don't go to sleep yet, okay?" he says, and his voice is all Billy needs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Every Day That Gets To Pass

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted 4.10

::

In the end, Kate solves the transportation problem by throwing up her hands, saying "Fuck it", and booking them a couple of rooms in the closest hotel they can find. It's a nice hotel - too nice, really, Billy thinks, considering how grimy and bloody and completely lacking in clean clothes all of them are - and Billy knows that in the morning he's going to feel guilty, like a complete mooching assclown, for letting her spend so very much money on four walls, a roof, and a bed, but right now he is too exhausted and in need of a shower to care. He slots the keycard into the lock and pushes the door open when he hears the click.

And, okay. Yeah. This is a nice room. This is a _fantastic_ room. Billy already feels a little embarrassed just to be standing in the short corridor just inside the door. The bed is huge, fucking _enormous_ , piled high with way too many pillows and what looks to be the fluffiest, softest comforter he's ever seen in his _life_ , let alone a hotel room. There's a door off to his left that undoubtedly leads to a gorgeous gorgeous bathroom, maybe with a big deep tub or a strong hot shower, and. And. And he can't start thinking about that right or else his brain will get locked up in a horrible loop of _shower or bed shower or bed shower or bedorshowerorbed_ and he'll never make it out of the hall.

Right on cue, Teddy nudges him, hands wrapped around his hips, gently pushing. He rubs his thumbs just under the hem of Billy's uniform top and says, "C'mon Billy. Your feet. Keep moving them."

Billy crosses to the bed on feet like weights and falls face first into the pile of blankets. _Fuck_ it feels so good just to not be vertical anymore. He inhales deeply, burrowing deeper into the pile; the comforter, the whole _room_ , smells vaguely of cigarette smoke, but Billy doesn't mind. Right now, it's familiar; it reminds him of his Nanna Rosen's house. How that smell meant summers and freedom and sunlight, how it was so ingrained in everything about Nanna that his bed had smelled like it even years after she finally quit. It's a little piece of home.

The larger piece of his home drops down next to him, his weight barely denting the mattress at all. Teddy reaches over and brushes some hair out of Billy's eyes. "Don't go to sleep yet, okay?" he says, and his voice is all Billy needs.

:.

Teddy is unanimously elected to actually check them in. Really, he's the only choice. Billy's magic is too drained to even manage a small scale teleport, let alone a full glamor, something so much more difficult to maintain. Kate booked the rooms with a few quick clicks of her phone (before it disappeared back into wherever she keeps it when she's fighting), but she obviously can't go to the desk herself, not with her bloody pants, not with her bow. Teddy is the only one capable of looking like he has _actual_ clothes, even when he doesn't, even if it makes him feel weird to do it. ("It's like I'm flashing _everyone_ , B," Teddy had confided once, "and it's... _worse_ , I don't know. It's worse, somehow, that no one can see-- That everything's just," he gestured helplessly, " _out there_." Billy had laughed and whispered against Teddy's neck, and gone in for a grope.)

So now Billy sits outside with everyone else as his boyfriend dresses himself in Kate's appearance and signs her name with a flourish to get them all a place to sleep.

Tommy sags forward behind him, leaning slowly, slowly, slowly until his forehead comes to rest in the center of Billy's back, just below the bump at the top of his spine. It's like Tommy is determined to be as annoying as possible even when exhausted down to his bones and out of all other options. Billy wriggles his shoulders, but Tommy won't be shrugged off. He simply snuffles a little and presses harder, and Billy has no choice but to brace his feet and just _stand_ there or they'll both go down.

Kate is sitting in the open vee of Eli's legs, head dropped completely forward. Eli's hands make slow kneading motions in the muscles of her shoulders; she rolls back into them. She must be tired - they _both_ must be - to allow themselves these little unguarded moments. Eli's head is tipped back against the brick, his eyes closed. Billy's never seen either of them so vulnerable.

Finally, Teddy is coming back, melting back to himself even as he moves close into Billy's space. Billy stumbles forward and Tommy jolts upright, rubbing at his eyes. He takes a few steps away before dropping into an awkward sit, curling half against Eli's shin, half against Kate's thigh. Her hand goes into his hair.

Billy leans into Teddy as Teddy holds up the keys. "I've got 'em," he says, but none of them are ready to move, not yet.

.:

The bathroom decides it for them. Billy rolls around on the bed a while - seriously, he can starfish as far as his limbs will stretch and he can't find an edge and he and Teddy _have_ to get a bed like this as soon as freaking possible (or use magic _before_ it's technically possible) - but Teddy keeps prodding him, tugging here, pushing there, muttering "shower, shower, c'mon," until Billy feels together enough to at least sit up without settling back down. He clambers ungracefully off the bed, pulling hard on Teddy's ankles when it becomes apparent that Teddy just wanted to claim the body warmth divot in the bed Billy had vacated. Billy pulls again, hands wrapped around Teddy's calves, and Teddy slides minutely closer to the edge of the bed.

"Come on you big cheating liar pants," Billy says. "You do not get to steal my spot. I have very strong feelings for that spot. We've grown _close_. I will not let anyone come between us."

Teddy smiles into the comforter and pulls a pillow into his arms. "Think it likes me better,' he says. "'S nice and comfy."

"Augh, no _fair_!" Billy says, and punctuates his frustration with another jerk at Teddy's legs. This time Teddy's pants actually pull down a bit, hipbones showing sharp above the black fabric. Teddy mutters, "Now who's the cheater?" and rolls the rest of the way out of bed.

He tries to strip his pants off the rest of the way, but he forgets about the boots still on his feet and stutter-trips around for a few seconds before he manages to disentangle everything. Billy laughs through his nose as he starts undressing himself. His headdress gets tossed unceremoniously on the bed, but he carefully folds his cape and places it on the dresser before following Teddy into the bathroom.

And yeah, it is every bit as beautiful as he figured it'd be. Damn, it's almost the size of their entire apartment, which, _okay_ , isn't saying much, because calling their apartment a dank hole is putting a shiny gloss on reality, but still. _Still_. There's a gleaming shower stall with head that looks to promise the most amazing water pressure ever, and Billy loses himself in fantasies of standing under it for a few _years_ , conservation of water be damned. But then he catches sight of the bathtub and there's just no question. The tub is as huge as the rest of the room, and Billy thinks he spies jacuzzi jets, and yeah, a soak sounds like the most glorious thing in the world right now.

Teddy is apparently a mind-reader, because he's already got the tap going as he shucks his briefs and his vest. There's no bubble bath, but a quick survey of the bathroom turns up a couple of small bottles of body wash that'll get the job done. Billy grabs them and peels off the rest of his uniform as quickly as he can, all too aware of the bruises blooming up and down his ribs, the long scrapes on his thighs. Teddy's already in the tub when he comes back, naked and uncapping the shower gel, and he's clearly poised and ready for Billy, arms draped over the edges of the tub and knees bent to form a seat Billy knows he will fit perfectly into.

Billy bites his lip and up-ends both bottles (and if that sends bubbles all over the floor then who really gives a fuck at this point?) because he needs a minute. Billy isn't really crazy about the idea, doesn't really like the feeling of being wrapped up like that, even by Teddy. He feels too constrained, too claustrophobic; a part of him always wants to claw his way up and out. But while the tub is large, it's not really _so_ large as to accommodate any other configuration, not unless Billy wants the tap digging into his spine. He's tired, and Teddy is solid, and really, it's just such a silly thing to get stuck on, now. So he climbs gingerly into the tub, easing himself into the too hot water and Teddy's octopus embrace.

:.

There are a lot of heroes milling around a lot of rubble when Billy finally comes to a stop. He does his best to scan the crowd, but he's not the tallest of guys and he can't muster enough juice to get himself back in the air. He looks up to inspect the skyline, orient himself, figure out where he is as if that will guide him to where he's supposed to be, and abruptly checks himself. Right. They aren't in New York right now. He knows he _knows_ this, but his brain feels mildy fried, like he's suffering some sort of lightning overload. Or backlash. Something. Whatever.

It's a strange feeling, not being able to look up and immediately locate Avenger's Tower. Yeah, maybe it's not the first time he's had to fight somewhere that's not home. And yeah, maybe it makes him feel a little like a capital H Hero, because it means the whole damn _country_ is his home, like every place he defends owns a tiny part of him. But he's also an intruder, a buttinski, and when the fighting's over, he's _lost_. He feels guilty and responsible, because this isn't his city he's had a hand in wrecking and he's happy that's it's not, but other people, the people living here, don't get to feel that, and yeah, maybe he saved them but this is a _huge_ amount of rubble that's he's not getting the consequences of and fuck his relief and his guilt and his pride and and _and_.

And...basically he's just a mess right now, and he's aimless, and the only thing he can pull out of the complicated tangle behind his breastbone is _I want to find my team_.

So he does. He winds his way through the crowds, the spectators, the press, the people starting to pick up the pieces, until he finds Kate and Tommy in a little alcove, temporarily out of the way. Kate has an arm slung around Tommy's waist and he's tilting into her, looking kind of dazed. Kate smiles when she spots Billy, weariness making the movements slow.

"You guys alright?" he asks when he reaches them.

"Holding up," Kate replies. "Tommy took a knock to the head, there might be some brain damage, but honestly, how are we going to be able to tell?" Tommy pokes her in the side and Kate gives him a short squeeze, concern visible in the curve of her eyebrows.

"What about Teddy? Eli?"

Kate points with her free arm. "Eli's over there, arguing about planes and wounded and support services and whether the sky is blue and god even knows what else."

Billy turns and sure enough, there's Eli, filthy and torn, going toe-to-toe with _Cap_. He almost looks like he's winning.

"Is anyone surprised," Kate deadpans, and Tommy snorts into the rise of her shoulder. "Haven't seen Teddy yet," she says in an entirely different tone of voice, and Billy can't see her eyes behind her sunglasses but he knows exactly what they look like.

Billy raises a hand. "He's fine," he says. He won't repeat it to himself.

There's a rustle of wings and a rush of air and then Teddy's voice saying, "Who's fine?"

Billy rolls his eyes against his smile. "Apparently everyone," he says.

Teddy reaches over and hooks a pinky through Billy's, squeezing the finger tight,

  
_Are you okay?_   


Billy squeezes back just as hard, because, yeah, he guesses he is.

.:

The water has finally cooled down enough to be bearable. Billy relaxes into Teddy's hold and starts piling foam into an enormous bubble mountain.

"I haven't done this since I was a kid," Billy says.

"You did _this_ as a kid," Teddy says, smirking against the back of Billy's neck and running one large hand down the plane of Billy's chest, down to his navel and back for emphasis.

Billy rolls his eyes, hard, and tosses some froth over his shoulder.

"Yeah, you're right, your arms are definitely spoiling things," he says, but he settles back a bit more and barely yelps at all when Teddy nips him on the ear.

"Careful now, you shouldn't mess with someone who's got power over this many bubbles," Billy says.

Teddy's hands leave Billy's chest and break the surface of the water, loosely circling the pile of foam. "Hmm, yeah, when you put it that way, I'm totally shaking in my boots."

Billy gathers a handful of bubbles. "Good," he says, "you should be. I _am_ a master of all things bubble."

At that, Teddy's whole body starts shaking with laughter and he buries his face in the curve of Billy's shoulder. "Bubble master, oh my _god_ , Billy," he says, and flicks a burst of foamy water towards Billy's face.

Billy sputters and twists, contorting his body in ways that would really be painful if he was up for feeling it yet. He turns between Teddy's arms and sends water sloshing over the sides of the tub as he finally manages to deposit a double handful of bubbles onto the top of Teddy's head and grind it in. Something inside his chest throws its arms up in victory as Teddy swears and grips Billy's sides, trying to squirm away and finding that he can't. Billy is _totally_ the Bubble Master.

"Told you," Billy grins. Teddy throws him a halfway murderous glance before ducking down beneath the water. He tries to pull Billy down with him, but Billy holds on and Teddy's grip slides right off. More water plumes over the edge.

When Teddy finally resurfaces, blowing water from his lips, he acts like he wants to keep up the glare, but can't not grin. Teddy's grin is like the sun after winter in Alaska, and Billy's heart gives a funny squeeze, the stiffness of the day finally starting to flow out of his muscles into the water. At least, it does that until Teddy leans impossibly closer into Billy's space and abruptly shakes his head, sharp quick movements that send soapy water flying from the ends of his hair right into Billy's face. Then it is Billy's turn to swear and squirm (because no matter how fancy soap is, it's not like it ever tastes good, _bleh_ ) and be kept together by Teddy's solid hands on his hips.

"There is water all over the floor," Teddy says once Billy's passed a hand over his face and flicked the film of soap away.

"Hm," Billy snorts. "Nope, can't see it, soap in my eyes."

"Always so difficult," Teddy murmurs. He pulls Billy back against his chest, tight, with finality, and Billy wants to protest because, _hello_ , but Teddy's arms don't feel like a prison. Billy settles in, closing his eyes as Teddy tucks his chin over Billy's shoulder and presses their temples together. He exhales once, the feel of it passing through his whole body. It's actually sort of comforting.

Well, _comforting_ , not comfortable. Billy is still uncomfortable, but this particular feeling of distress has its roots in an entirely different place. The gentleness of the water has affected him, lapping at his tiredness until the ache in his muscles slipped into something else. Teddy's hands are so warm against his stomach and it just makes Billy squirm more, because they're so close, and he wants them lower.

It's easy to turn his head just a fraction, to lip and nip at the corner of Teddy's mouth. Teddy turns into it, his lips opening easily at the first press of Billy's tongue. Billy wants to crow, but there are better uses for his mouth right now, so he traces the edges of Teddy's teeth, seeking him out, slowly finding his way inside. He can feel Teddy's answering moan through his spine, and it's perfect.

The kiss seems to go on forever - Billy's lungs protest the lack of oxygen, like that's the worst of his problems - but he can't seem to make himself pull away. Instead, he reaches up and back, elbow awkwardly bumping the wall, to clutch at the back of Teddy's head and keep him right where he wants him. Teddy doesn't object, just bites back at Billy's lips like he's starving. His hands open and close on Billy's ribs, occasionally sliding up to trace Billy's collarbone and neck, pausing to press against his sternum. It takes him _way_ too long to travel down Billy's belly to glide along his hipbone, knuckles grazing Billy's cock.

Billy jerks back out of the kiss, finally, to gasp. "Yeah. Yeah," he pants against Teddy's cheek, against his teeth. Teddy's arm closes around Billy's chest, just breaking the surface of the bathwater with every heaving breath they both take. Billy would almost be getting caught up in that, watching the muscles in Teddy's forearm, but oh wait, Teddy's fingers are tracing the underside of Billy's cock, stripping it once, slowly, as he twists his hips to thrust his own dick shallowly against the top of Billy's ass. Priorities here.

  
 _Fuck_ , Billy is impatient. He thrusts up into the circle of Teddy's fist and tugs hard on Teddy's hair. Then they're kissing again, Teddy's hand moving firmer and better on Billy's dick. Teddy tries to say something, but can't get it out, apparently, too distracted by the feel of his cock bumping the small of Billy's back. Billy sucks on Teddy's lower lip until he strangles off his words and pulls Billy back hard against his hips.

Okay, and it's working much better, _so much_ , but the waves they're making in the water are throwing off their rhythm, so clearly they need to try a different strategy here for a minute. Billy pulls away this time, easing up on the awkward angle that's killing his neck to help guide Teddy's hips with his free hand. Teddy goes with it, shifting his lips to Billy's neck, his shoulder, working Billy's cock in time with the bite of his teeth.

"You want to move this to the bed?" Teddy mumbles below his ear.

And god, Billy wants that, he does. This is not as easy as he thought it would be, no matter how good Teddy's long, slow pulls feel. The water adds a friction that is _just_ on the right side of wrong and it's hard to set a steady rhythm. More than that, he wants to be _inside_ Teddy, he wants that so badly, to kiss him until he can't breathe, to stroke the inside of his thighs, or maybe mouth the bumps of his spine, to feel him curl up into _Billy's_ arms and come.

But that's just not possible right now. Wanting will not make it so, even if sometimes it kind of does, for them. They're too lacking in supplies and - let's face it - energy, and he can't magic either of those up. Also, patience, he kind of doesn't have it right now, not with Teddy drawing his earlobe into his mouth, sucking hard, and dipping the pad of his thumb into the slit of Billy's dick.

" _Billy_ ," Teddy moans low into his ear, and he realizes he still hasn't answered.

"No," he breathes, "no, let's just. Stay," and grinds himself back. Teddy takes the permission and grips Billy hard, thrusting with more purpose. He groans as he rides the cleft of Billy's ass, and Billy can't deny that it's not satisfying, the slip and slide of the water and the hardness of Teddy's cock.

The strong strokes to his own cock don't hurt either.

"Fuck," he says, bowing forward, rolling with the motion. He tries to brace himself on the edge of the tub. It's amazing, considering how much water they've managed to displace already, that even more is waving up and over, melting bubbles spreading across the floor.

"We should probably get a towel," he says, trying to not let his breath catch.

"Think it's going to drip through?" Teddy says into his shoulder blade, his words syncing up with his hips. "Think - _hn_ \- someone's going to complain?"

Billy bucks up into Teddy's hand, tension curling in his belly. "I don't-- I don't want to get busted in on by some angry concierge - _oh_ , like that, yeees - right now, how about you?"

"Not too worried," Teddy says, licking Billy's neck. "You can just lightning them. _Oh god_. Or whatever."

Billy lets out a strangled laugh. "Don't think so, T."

Teddy smiles. "No? Shame, it's kind of hot."

"Oh god you are such a _perv_ ," Billy says, finally. Teddy's free hand is splayed against his stomach, pulling him, and it's making it sort of hard to find his words. He pushes back, just to even the score.

Teddy's next words are a long time coming, and sort of choked off. The rocking of his hips is growing erratic, and his voice is thick. "And you--," he breaks off. "You are such a Negative Nancy, you're so, oh god, Billy, _you're so_ \--"

Teddy's next words are muffled, pressed right behind Billy's ear so he can feel every syllable. "Oh _fuck_ , yes, _you_ \--" His arms tighten, almost too tight, his hand on Billy's dick _is_ too tight, and Billy wants to come with him; he tries to thrust, but he's not quite there. Teddy lets out one last drawn out groan, and then Billy can feel his cock pulsing against his back.

Billy lets him have a moment, but when Teddy starts mouthing lazily at his nape, Billy whispers _Teddy_ , just once. After that, it's only a few more strokes before Billy's hissing curses into Teddy's mouth, hips jerking as he comes.

:.

The battle is clearly in full swing when they get there. And, _of course_ , Billy manages to 'port them into an empty alley right before it completely ceases to be empty, what with the huge explosion rocking the building next to them. Obviously. That's just how his day is going.

As soon as they touch down, it's like everything is in slow motion. The first cracks in the wall spread outwards like a web, like the thick stone wall was nothing more than a sheen of ice on a puddle in November. Then big chunks of wall start bulging out, chased by grasping fingers of flame and smoke. There's really no time to react at all in the space between the first noise and the concussive wave.

Eli yells, " _Tommy_!" as he and Kate drop to the ground, and Tommy immediately starts to shake. He's moving too fast to see, disappeared in place, and the rocks coming at them start to burst above their heads. Billy's only a second behind him, throwing out his hand and concentrating until a shield springs up around them all. Once it's clear that the worst of the debris and heat isn't going to touch them, Billy has to smother the urge to yell _Protego!_ Teddy looks at him as he pulls Kate and Eli to their feet, like he's resisting maybe making the same joke, or at least mockingly calling Billy _Harry_.

All things considered, they didn't do too bad. A few pieces of brick made it through Tommy's explosions and Billy's shield, and it's lucky Teddy is a shapeshifter because Billy is pretty sure he doesn't have eyebrows anymore, but they're all in one piece. Given that the entire sequence of events took about three seconds, generously, Billy thinks they did pretty good.

Tommy keeps trying to help Kate brush off the concrete dust, but whenever his hands get too close she pins him still with a dangerously raised eyebrow. Tommy's face cycles through a whole lot of things before settling on nonchalant and switching to brush himself off. Then he tries it again. It's actually pretty funny to watch, the advance and retreat, but Eli's leapt up on a dumpster to scope things out, and it's time to get moving again.

After that, things sort of fall into the general blur of battle. Find bad guys, hit them, or zap them, or turn them into temporary kittens, whatever, then move on to the next ones. Eli and Kate charge through the blown-out wall in pursuit of whoever the hell blew it up in the first place. Billy and Teddy push off for the sky, and Tommy barely stays still to watching them go. He shouts up at them, "Too bad you're up there, you're going to miss all the action!"

There is no lack of action. No lack of action, or lighting, and once or twice Billy is even flagged down to magic up an impromptu prison cell out of broken buildings. He gets hit more than once, falls even, and it's not long before he can feel his ribs screaming at him to _just stay down this time, okay?_ But he can't not get back up. He flies over and over the battle, throwing Hydra agents (or is it A.I.M.? The suits are green, right?) into the highest branches of tress, sniping people whenever he can. They still keep coming.

He spots Eli and Tommy fighting back to back, Eli plowing through five guys at once, Tommy following and keeping them down.

Kate stands on top of a bus, eyes on a cluster of villains before her. When she sees Billy, she grins, wild, and raises her arms. Billy dives, is on her in a second, gripping her wrists and sliding her right into the middle of their group. She greats the leader with her boots dead center to his face.

He mostly finds finds himself fighting alone though. Towards the end (please let it be the end, please, Billy's not sure how much more he has left but he can't give up, he _can't_ ), he literally bumps into Teddy high above the fight.

Teddy catches his hand, quick. He seems mostly unhurt, but who can even tell, what with his powers. They hover for a moment, fingers twisted together.

"Everything okay?" Teddy says and gestures to the blood spotting Billy's uniform.

"Hanging on," Billy replies. "And you?"

"Enough," Teddy says, breath short. Then Teddy yanks him in and kisses him - a quick bruising of lips and teeth and noses.

"Later," Billy pants when he pulls away. "After."

"Yeah," Teddy says. "After. Stay together until then, okay?"

.:

The shower does wind up getting some use. When his breath finally comes back to him, Billy realizes that the water has grown cold and uncomfortable. On top of that, his skin feels sticky. So he bullies Teddy out of the bath, which takes forever, mostly because as uncomfortable as he is, Billy doesn't totally want to move either. Eventually they pile each other into the shower, and oh my _god_ , the spray is truly amazing. Billy tilts his face up into it and angles his body around Teddy's as much as he can to try and catch more.

Their rinse off is perfunctory, both of them getting more caught up in the feel of skin and friction and aching muscles to really be efficient about the whole thing. And yeah, they make out some more, lazily, because it's nice and it's soothing and it gives them an excuse to stay under the spray. Of course, eventually, Billy's legs start to object to supporting him, which sucks, but is probably for the best. Billy is not a fan of prune skin.

They get out and wrap themselves up in way _way_ too many towels - big, thick, fluffy ones - and really, why would the hotel even provide this many, how many towels can a person reasonably use anyway? Billy checks himself; apparently a _lot_ , if other people are anything like him and Teddy. And he's grateful for it, actually, if it means that he doesn't need to de-towel himself in order to mop up the excess water. Which he doesn't. _Score_.

Teddy's already snuggled down in bed when Billy comes out, and the sight of him blissed out like that gives Billy an overpowering urge to leap up onto the bed and bounce a few times. At this point, his legs point out _oh hell to the no_ and his ribs chime in with an oh-so-helpful _seriously_. So Billy sighs, drops his towels in a heap, and hoists himself up and in to escape the cool air.

Teddy immediately inches closer, planting his wet head squarely in the center of Billy's chest. Billy debates with himself whether or not to shove him off, but in the middle of his brain's tired loop, he finally falls asleep.

:.

The television's on, but they aren't really watching it, haven't been for a while, actually. Teddy is sprawled across the foot of the bed and Billy is exactly where he intends to be, where he _should_ be. Namely, firmly on top of Teddy, inching his sweater up and off. Teddy's breath is hitching delightfully and he's bucking up ever so slowly, and Billy's nearly got Teddy's sweater all the way off. Just a little more--

There's a loud burst of music on the television and when Billy peeks out of the corner of his eye, the scrolling graphic says **Breaking News**. The anchor comes on, and the first words out of her mouth are pretty much the worst words ever right now.

"We're receiving reports that an as-yet unidentified terrorist cell has engaged with both government agents and the Avengers in--"

Billy breaks his lips away from Teddy's, groaning and dropping his head against the bed. He kind of wants to bash it in right now, but the pillow's just not hard enough.

"We should probably..." Teddy says, voice wrecked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know." Billy rolls off him just as Kate's ringtone jangles from Teddy's phone.

Billy presses the heels of his hands into his eyes while Teddy answers. It's times like this that he kind of wishes he didn't actually have the (sometimes) ability to make everything else go away. Because he really _really_ wants to.

Teddy flips the phone closed. "We're gearing up," he says, running a hand through his hair.

"Figured," Billy says into his hands.

Teddy pulls him to his feet, though he goes reluctantly, and brings their foreheads together. "Later, okay?" he says.

Billy rubs a hand across the back of his neck. "Yeah," he says, and frowns.

.:

The sun crests the horizon, but their room is still grey and fuzzy. Billy rolls over, looping his arm around Teddy's waist, and smiles.

::fin::

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from the Atmosphere song [Sunshine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpqOWO6ctsg).


End file.
